§ Ms. RichardsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many district health authorities in England provide chorion villus sampling to pregnant women; and under what circumstances;
(2) what information on chorion villus sampling and amniocentesis is available for pregnant women who wish to have screening; and through what channels the information is made available.
§ Mrs. Currie[holding answer 18 January 1988]:The information requested is not held centrally. Facilities for amniocentesis testing are available through all consultant 691W units. The decision to offer chorion villus sampling and aminiocentesis to a pregnant woman is a matter of clinical judgment, and will depend on the risk in her particular case of the foetus having a detectable abnormality. The Medical Research Council, which receives its grant from the DES, is conducting a randomised controlled trial comparing amniocentesis with chorionic villus sampling; twenty-three centres in the United Kingdom are participating. An information booklet is available to participants and I will arrange for a copy to be sent to the hon. Member. The Department's view is that the procedures and their implications should be fully explained to the mother to enable her to make an informed decision. She should also be told who will give her the results and when she can expect to be notified.